Jennifer quickly saved Pearce's number into her phone. "Perfect, I understand."
If possible, she was going to drive down there first thing tomorrow morning!
"The village probably won't be able to supply you with much volume, though," Pandora noted, swiftly bursting her bubble of excitement.
She was celebrating a bit too early!
The bright smile vanished from Jennifer's face.
"I know, I won't be greedy. As long as we have enough to serve our absolute highest-tier clients, that's fine."
"With quality like yours, I'm sure the wholesale prices won't be cheap, either."
None of the patrons at her restaurant were hurting for cash.
However, there was a massive difference between being comfortably wealthy and having unlimited resources, just as there was a gap between money and true power.
Then there were the elites who simply loved the exclusivity of dining better than everyone else.
That demographic was always the easiest to profit from.
After the meal wrapped up, Pandora led the group through a side door into the main estate of Hearth & Kettle.
This was the true core of the property, entirely separate from the commercialized front courtyard used for the restaurant.
In the dead of winter, the plum blossoms in the private gardens were in full bloom. A crisp, floral fragrance permeated the freezing air, creating a breathtakingly serene atmosphere.
No matter how many decades had passed, Pandora still vividly remembered the day her father had helped her plant that very tree when she was just a little girl.
"This estate has such a deep, historical elegance to it, and the architecture is absolutely stunning."
If Mary praised the property, it meant it was genuinely flawless.
She was a woman who had seen the best the world had to offer.
Every inch of this inherited estate reflected the boundless affection the former head
of the family held for his precious daughter.
The layout was incredibly comfortable and inviting.
It was no wonder The James Family had never entertained a single corporate
buyout offer, no matter how many millions of dollars developers threw at them.
"Mary, if you love it so much, you should stay here for a few days," Pandora offered, her heart full of fond memories tied to the property.
She already viewed the other woman as a sister.
If Mary decided to extend her stay, she knew Claire would be thrilled.
But Mary possessed a flawless sense of boundaries.
"I'll have to pass. I've been away from home for a few days now, and I'm so grateful for your hospitality, Pandora."
Shortly after, Mary took the two younger kids and headed home.
Claire left to accompany Dane on his inspection of the Westside project,
leaving alone in the
sprawling estate to quietly reflect on the past.
As for Dewitt?
Claire had absolutely no idea where he vanished to.
She wasn't sure if he had slipped out to reconnect with old buddies or if he was out
running covert errands on Pandora's orders.
When Claire and Dane arrived at the
profile.
Westside, they kept a low profile.
Just like last time they blended in acting like casual pedestrians passing through the area.
The district had certainly seen an unbelievable amount of
fortl
het
development, but it didn't take long for the pain to spot several gang issues.
The new culinary hub was structurally complete, but Dane was extremely dissatisfied with the interior infrastructure.
Some of the building materials looked suspiciously cheap, reeking of cut corners.
Claire didn't have the eye to spot the flaws, but Dane was an absolute professional when it came to real estate development.
The real breakthrough happened when Claire slipped away to find a restroom and accidentally overheard a heated conversation.
"Randall, what the hell is going on? Why didn't you deliver the materials we ordered according to the specs I gave you?"
"Half of this shipment is premium, and the other half is complete garbage. Unbelievable!"
The man on the phone was clearly furious and had no idea anyone was in the adjacent restroom.
The commercial space hadn't officially opened yet, so foot traffic was practically non-existent.
It was pure coincidence that Claire was in the women's room next door. Assuming he was entirely alone, the man made no effort to lower his booming voice.
Whoever was on the other end must have said something placating, because the man's tone softened just a fraction.
"Randall, you can't pull this kind of stunt!"
"You know this project is backed by government contracts. Every single piece of material for this culinary hub has to be top-tier."